Amphitheater complex with integral parking facilities



Feb. 18, 1969 F. I. GOLDBERG ET AL 3,

AMPHITHEATER COMPLEX'WITH INTEGRAL PARKING FACILITIES Sheet Filed March 25, 1966 mi s w R0 u Y7 o E am N R. IP 07 m7. m ma F. l. GOLDBERG E AL AMPHITHEATER COMPLEX WITH INTEGRAL PARKING FACILITIES Filed March 25. 1966 Feb. 18, 1969 Sheet of6 I m2 8 6 3 fl H TG/W N N R EZEJO v! P MEL F. m A 6 w 5% C Y M a m an QQ QM Feb. 18, 1969 F. l. GOLDBERG ETAl- 3,427,766

AMPHITHEATER COMPLEX WITH INTEGRAL PARKING FACILITIES Sheet 5 of6 Filed March 25, 1966 AMPHITHEATER COMPLEX WITH INTEGRAL PARKING FACILITIES Filed March 25. 1966 Feb. 18, 1969 F. I. GOLDBERG ETAL ofc . INVENTORS fie/(K150496596 m LwI mm QM 6 05597" 6'04 W541. Pi-I'AuCELL/ BY Wa om: I

United States Patent 3,427,766 AMPHITHEATER COMPLEX WITH INTEGRAL PARKING FACILITIES Frederick I. Goldberg, Brooklyn, N.Y. (65-25 160th St., Flushing, N.Y. 11365), and Robert Colwell Petrucelli, 228 New Hanover Ave., Meriden, Conn. 06450 Filed Mar. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 537,411 US. Cl. 52-6 1 Claim Int. Cl. E0411 3/10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to amphitheaters or stadiums and more particularly to such a building that has a construction which is a significant departure from such structures as presently known.

It is an object of this invention to provide an amphitheater or stadium of a more modern type than any known in the prior art and which includes facilities not ordinarily provided as a part of an amphitheater.

Another object of the invention is to provide an amphitheater construction that includes various facilities not ordinarily provided as a part thereof, and to provide those in a much smaller space than would heretofore have been required.

Yet another object is to provide a building complex such as an amphitheater that includes parking facilities as an integral part thereof.

A further object is to provide an amphitheater complex having parking facilities located therein which are conveniently located a short distance from the spectator seating areas.

A still further object is to provide an amphitheater complex having a parking arrangement such that sufficient parking space is provided at locations behind the various spectator seats so that the spectators need to walk only a short distance from their cars to their seats.

Yet another object is to provide an amphitheater having parking facilities of the type already referred to wherein there is provided safe access means between the parking areas and the spectator seats which eliminates any necessity for the pedestrians to cross the path of traffic at any point.

Yet another object is to provide a novel parking facility-pedestrian access arrangement that is safer than prior arrangements, more conveniently located to the building to be served and which can be used in a variety of applications.

One of the features of this invention is that the novel parking arrangement described herein is not limited to use in amphitheaters or stadiums, but is useful for serving any of a number of other type buildings, as for example coliseums, theaters, stores, hotels, apartments and the like, either as an integral part of the building or as a separate facility located immediately adjacent thereto.

All of the objects, features and advantages of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an amphitheater complex according to this invention with roads connecting thereto;

FIG. 2 is another plan view of the amphitheater complex showing various details of its construction;

FIG. 2a shows an enlarged plan view of a portion of parking facilities provided for the spectators;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section as seen from a point of elevation at the side of the amphitheater complex and showing several bays of the parking facilities;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective showing details of the parking bays and associated pedestrian access routes between the parking bays and the seating area;

FIG. 7 is another enlarged view in perspective showing further details of the pedestrian access routes; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a grouping of various facilities at one end of the amphitheater complex.

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown an amphitheater structure 10 of generally oval configuration in which spectator seats 12 are provided around a major portion of the inner region thereof for watching different events such as olympic games, baseball, football, drag racing or other activities in the central area 13.

In accordance with the invention, the amphitheater includes parking facilities 14 as an integral part of the amphitheater building or structure complex, these being provided generally behind the seating area so that people may arrive in their vehicles and park relatively close to the particular seats for which they hold reservations. It will be appreciated that if reservations are not provided, the people who park in a given parking zone can be sold seats directly in front of their particular parking area. Parking is provided at different levels, as will appear from FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Various access highways 16a, 18a, 20a and 22a and various egress highways 16e, 18e, 202 and 22e are provided as seen in FIG. 1, for connecting the amphitheater parking facilities to the surrounding highways. The access highway 16a, depending upon terrain, may conveniently feed down onto an upper roadway 26, this roadway extending fully around the structure, as seen in FIG. 1. Connecting sloping roadways or ramps are also provided at both the inner and outer peripheries of the amphitheater structure to connect the parking areas to the access and egress roadways as will be more fully described later. Each of these peripheral, sloping roadways also connects to the upper roaliway 26 for convenience and flexibility in handling tra c.

The amphitheater complex preferably also includes a cultural-living complex 28 as a part of the amphitheater structure with various facilities being included to provide an amphitheater complex comprising virtually a complete city in itself.

FIG. 2 shows various details of construction of the amphitheater structure 10 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 six ramps 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 are provided about the outer periphery of the ampihtheater structure 10. Actually, twelve outer ramps are included in the structure shown, however only six are discussed for purposes of simplicity; the structure includes four sets of such outer ramps, each set comprising three ramps such as 31, 32 and 33 in a cluster and commencing generally at a different quarterpoint on the structure oval. Each successive outer ramp 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 starts at a point 31a, 32a, 33a, 34a, 35a and 36a respectively and continues in ascending helical fashion around the structure unitl it merges into the upper roadway 26. Each successively higher numbered outer ramp is located generally beneath the ramp that starts ahead it, but slightly radially outwardly thereof. The traffic on these outer ramps 31-36 is one-way ascending in direction.

Twelve inner ramps are also provided, these being seen in FIG. 1, only six being discussed for purposes of simplicity; these are designated by the numerals 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46. These inner ramps 41-46 are provided about the inner periphery of the amphitheater structure 10. These inner ramps 41-46 continue in descending clockwise helical fashion and connect the upper roadway 26 with the parking facilities as will further appear. The traffic on these inner ramps 41-46 is one-way descending in direction.

Referring further to FIG. 2 and also referring to FIG. 2a, the parking facilities comprise a plurality of individual parking bays such as 51, 52 these being formed into radially extending groups of bays as those indicated by the numerals 51-54 and 61-64. Each ramp serves or feeds a zone comprising a predetermined number of radially extending groups of bays, all of the individual bays being seen in FIG. 2 and extending from the point 31a to 31b being served by the ramp 31. The ramp 31 however extends a short distance beyond the end 31b of the first parking zone to connect with the upper roadway 26. In like manner, the ramp 32 serves a second zone parking facility extending from the point 32a to the point 32b, this ramp also extending beyond the point 32b to connect with the upper roadway 26. The same arrangement exists for the ramps 33, 34, 35 and 36, the extent of each respective parking zone being indicated in FIG. 2 by the points 33a-33b, 3411-3411, 35a-35b and 36a-36b.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 2a, and also referring to FIG. and 6, each of the parking bays such as for example the bay 64 includes pedestrian access means adjacent to each bay. In accordance with the invention the pedestrian access means is constructed in such manner as to allow the passengers from each automobile to proceed on foot to any selected seat in the amphitheater without having to cross in front of any automobile, thereby eliminating danger to such pedestrians and significantly expediting the free and easy movement of people from the parking areas to their seats.

In accordance with the invention this improved pedestrian access means includes substantially level pedestrian walks 64a and 64b and inclined ramps 66a and 66b adjacent to the parking bay 64. Similar pedestrian walks and inclined ramps are provided adjacent to each of the parking bays in the amphitheater. Each of the inclined ramps in a given radially extending group of bays, such as those indicated by the numerals 61-64 feeds into a radially extending pedestrian walkway 70 which leads to the seating area of the amphitheater.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the inner supporting structure of the amphitheater taken respectively along the lines 3-3 and 4--4 of FIG. 2. These figures illustrate the interleaving nature of the different parking levels and the pedestrian access means therefor which connect to the seating area. These views also illustrate the positions of escalators 72 for the convenience of the spectators when they have parked on different levels from those on which their seats are located.

The convenience and safety afforded to the spectators by the improved amphitheater construction of this invention will be appreciated from the following description of the arrival of spectators for viewing an event. Referring to FIGS. 1-7 and particularly to FIGS. 2 and 5, a selected vehicle 100 will travel along the highway 22a onto the upwardly inclined ramp 31. This vehicle 100 will proceed in the direction of the arrow 74, in ascending helical counter-clockwise fashion past the parking bays 54 and 64, then turning left in order to enter the individual parking bay entry lane 76 adjacent the bay 64 and then again turning left into the parking bay 64, selected by the driver, or to which he is directed by a parking attendant or device.

When the car 100 has been parked in the bay 66, the passengers alight therefrom, walk to the front of the automobile and then along the pedestrian Walk 64a to the right, then reversing direction and proceeding up the inclined ramp 66a to the left, and then turning right at the top of the ramp as indicated by the arrow 78, to thereby proceed along the radial walkway 70 to the spectator seats. Ticket booths 84 are provided, as seen in FIG. 7, on the walkway 70 level. A sloping ramp 86 is also provided, as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, to connect all the walkway levels outside the ticket booth points.

If upon arrival of the car 100 the first parking bay 64 is filled, the car 100 will merely proceed to the next inner bay 63, or to the bay 62, as necessary until a parking place is located. If all of the parking bays in a given radially disposed group as for example 61-64 are filled, the car 100 may proceed into the adjacent radially disposed group by passing between the vertical structural supports seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

As will be appreciated by the fiow of traffic both into and out of the amphitheater is expeditiously handled by simultaneously directing the same into the parking facilities via both the ascending outer ramps 31-36 and the descending inner ramps 41-46, the latter receiving traffic from the upper roadway 26.

After the scheduled activities in the amphitheater are over, the spectators return to their vehicles by the same pedestrian routes over which they walked in arriving at their seats. The vehicles are then directed out of the parking areas preferably onto the ramps 41-46 and then to the egress highways 20e and 22e. The departure traffic on these ramps travels in the same direction as when it is arriving. Thus referring again to FIGS. 2 and 5, the automobile 100 in departure would turn left into the lane 76 when coming out of the bay 64, proceed along this lane toward the nearest inner ramp of the group 41-46 and then down the selected ramp onto the egress highway 22e. Alternately the automobile 100 could also proceed from the bay 64 onto the outer ramp 31, continue along this ramp to the top thereof onto the upper roadway 26 and out the egress highway 16e or down a selected inner ramp 41-46 onto one of the egress highways 18e, 20e or 222.

FIG. 8 shows in some detail the location of the cultural-living facilities in the complex 28. These facilities are provided at one end of the amphitheater structure and are built essentially upon two vertical supports 90 and 92. Between these two supports 90 and 92, there are provided at the lowest level 94, offices, conference rooms, television and radio studios and also indoor viewing locations for observing the activities on the ground level. The protruding portion immediately above the level 94 houses a theater 96. Above the theater there is provided a gallery 98. To the left of the gallery 98 outside the vertical support 90 there is provided an arcuate housing 102 for a museum, and to the right of the support 92 there is provided an exhibition hall 104, the latter being on two diverging levels. The levels 104, the gallery 98 and the museum 102 form a generally helical structure through which spectators may freely pass from one end to the other to observe the displays therein. Above the gallery 98 substantial motel accommodations are provided for housing contestants, announcers and officials who normally would stay for prolonged events as for example, olympic games. At the top of the supports 90 and 92, suitable means are provided for connecting cables 106 between these supports and spaced locations around the amphitheater structure. These cables 106 support a roof, preferably transparent, to allow natural light into the amphitheater.

A pedestrian plaza 108 is provided generally below the museum 102 for the convenience of people arriving by public transportation facilities. Below the pedestrian plaza 108 there are provided new car showrooms and a service center for vehicles, not shown. An entertainment area, also not shown, is provided below the automobile facilities. This entertainment area may include facilities for various activities, such as bowling, swimming, iceskating and :a gymnasium, lockers, restaurants and exhibit galleries.

The amphitheater described herein is particularly suitable for olympic games because of all the many and varied facilities provided within the entire complex, because the large size of the amphitheater which can accommodate several events simultaneously, and because the novel parking-pedestrian facilities eliminate the long and time consuming walk or bus ride that becomes unavoidable with adjacent ground level parking.

While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of the invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be understood that the description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claim.

What is claimed is:

1. An amphitheater complex comprising an amphitheater structure having a seating area arranged in surrounding elevated relationship to a space provided for activities to be carried on,

said Seating area extending upwardly and away from said space,

a plurality of vehicle parking area levels radially extending away from said seating area and in substantially surrounding relationship therewith, and including parking facilities sloping upwardly in a first direction generally parallel to said seating area,

vehicle access and egress means including an upper roadway directly approaching from outside the amphitheater the upper part of the amphitheater, said upper roadway being extended in surrounding rela tionship with said space for activities,

radially inner sloping roadways placed between said seating area and said parking area for interconnect ing the inner side of said upper roadway with said parking levels, each of said inner roadways partially surrounding said seating area at dilferent elevated levels,

radially outer upwardly sloping roadways parallel to said seating area and positioned to outwardly interconnect the parking levels with said upper roadway, said outer roadways sloping upwardly in a direction opposite the sloping direction of said parking facilities,

pedestrian access means connecting said parking facilities with said seating area to facilitate safe and convenient travel therebetween, said access means including radially extending walkways interconnecting the seating area with said parking levels, said walkways interleaved between said radially inner sloping roadway in non-contacting relationship therewith, said radially extending walkways being placed at a level intermediate between an adjacent pair of upwardly sloping outer roadways, and connected to the uppermost portion of said upwardly sloping parking facilities,

said radially inner sloping roadway and said parking levels positioned below said seating area and upper roadway to provide an integral structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,518 11/1931 Mason 52176 1,834,297 12/1931 Vojacek 52176 2,908,946 10/1959 Sullivan 52-175 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,103,949 7/1955 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Architectural Record, 52175, February 1931, p. 162. Popular Science, 52-6, June 1951, pp. 130, 131.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. CHARLES G. MUELLER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-175 

